MY JOURNEY AS A CAKE DECORATOR (part 10: things I've learn so far)

This post is dedicated to all Malaysian amateur cake decorators.

My friend Ida Mariam rang me up earlier today. She got super excited with my chickens and goats blog post. So we started talking and talking. What we talked about was how challenging it was to decorate a cake in this humidity i.e. Malaysia. She asked me how many trial and errors I had to go through in order for me to get my cakes right. I told her I'm still in that learning process. I was frustrated not being able to find any blogs from Malaysian or Asian cake decorators mention anything about their problems with the humidity. I mean they did, just not in detail. I had to learn the hard way. I don't go for any cake decorating courses , therefore i rely on the internet to get infos. I would like to share with all the cake enthusiasts out there on how to get your cake right in this type of climate. I mean this is how I did with mine, but if any of you have a better way to do it, do share!

1. After crumb coating the cake, i find that to put in the fridge is a no-no. This is because after taking it out, you need to leave it at room temperature and that takes at least 1 whole day. What happened to me was that I decorated my cake right after I took it out from the fridge and it start to sweat BIG TIME! So do NOT put the cake in the fridge. Leave it in an air-conditioning room. No sweat and it will go crust hard.
2. Because I'm leaving in this kind of humidity, cakes tend to dry up easily. This technique is super awesome! After baking the cakes you leave it to cool on the wire rack. Once that's done wrap in cling film (twice) and leave in the freezer overnight. When i did my 14" cake, I couldn't throw it in the freezer ( i have a small fridge). Another technique is to wrap the cake in cling film while its still warm. It will trap the moisture. There is this one tip i read from some forum. Spray light sugar water on the cake. I tried it before. Didn't turned out so good. The cakes become 'sticky'. 'Bleurgh'!
3. There are so many tips to keep your fondant pliable. Some say use icing sugar to knead it back to a pliable state. And others suggest to use cornstarch or Crisco (vegetable shortening). I tried all of 'em and I can confidently say that cornstarch and Crisco is the way to go. I mean you've got your fondant the right consistency and if you add more icing sugar it'll get even harder. So I don't quite understand why some people suggest using icing sugar at the 1st place.
4. I personally love using both Rolled Fondant and MMF (Marshmallow Fondant). But for figurines i prefer using Rolled Fondant.
5. I love using buttercream. But there are few things i learn while using this icing. If you use the same piping bag for more than i dunno 20 min. put it down! If you work too long on a design using the same piping bag, the heat from your hand + the humidity will literally melt the buttercream in the bag. And don't fill up your bag too full! Some suggest before working with your piping, drown your hands in icy cold water. Ok then!
6. When i made those cute chocolate bees for my friend's birthday cupcakes, let me tell ya! It wasn't easy!!!! Our weather temperature makes it really hard to work with melted chocolates. I had to work really fast. I haven't found any good tips. All i know you should melt chocolates using microwave rather than broiling it. There are forums that says it depends on the type of chocolate you use. I dunno.... I just haven't figure it out yet.

And there you go! This is what i learn so far. I might not be right with the techniques but hey! It works for me!

MY JOURNEY AS A CAKE DECORATOR (part 9: more figurines)

Yesterday was my dad's birthday. Think he is 66 (I'm bad with numbers). Well of course i made him a cake. But let me tell ya, this was one ad-hoc cake! My dad was in a foul mood this past few days, probably coz he's turning a year older (kehkehkeh). So me and my mom thought we could do a really nice birthday dinner this weekend but then when my SIL dump my niece at our house, foul mood out the window! I told my mom we should just go ahead and do the dinner. Lucky for me i've baked the cakes, all i need to do is decorate 'em. It was really hard trying to decorate the cake and avoid being discovered by my dad when my niece kept running pass me. But eventually i manage to complete it. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AYAH!

If any of you are wondering what's with the chickens and goats. Well my dad has an orchard and he really, truly, seriously devotes himself taking care of the place. So it felt right for me to do a cake that has that orchard elements or feel to it.

My bro was determine to gobble up d chicken

MY JOURNEY AS A CAKE DECORATOR (part 8: 1st Wedding cake)

I received a call from the wedding planner extraordinaire i.e. Mel Majid and she enquired whether I’m up to doing a 2-tier wedding cake. I can honestly say I was sceptical with the whole idea. But I said to myself that I won’t get this kind of opportunity and making some $$$ at the same time. I told Mel to meet me the next day so I can do a bit of homework. The bride and groom wanted 2-tier cake with a modern contemporary feel to it. Elegant with pink and green colour theme. I found few cake samples from the internet which I like and goes hand-in-hand with my vision of the wedding cake. I sketch few ideas and met up with Mel the next day. At the end of our brainstorming session I came up with this.

It took me 24 hours to make this cake (no I’m not lying). My freezer was not big enough to stuff two 14” cakes. What I did was after baking the cakes I wrapped it with cling film so that it will seal in the moisture. Now I miscalculated few things such as picking up the 14” cake and stacking it together. I almost break both cakes!!!! For the fillings I made lemon buttercream flavour. After I crumb coat the cakes it took quite some time to get it crusted up. By that time it was almost 10pm. So I figured I should try and sleep and wake up early to start decorating the cakes. But I couldn’t really sleep. Started working on the cakes at 2am and finished it around 7am. By 8am my SIL came to the house and help me deliver the cakes to the wedding reception.

The roses was prepared 4 days in advance

Overall I manage to please the wedding planner and the bride & groom. Oh yeah they said that the cake was delicious! YEAH!

MY JOURNEY AS A CAKE DECORATOR (part 7: 1st b’day cake with figurines)

Me and Salina plan to do a surprise birthday dinner for our beloved Melissa Majid aka Miss Piggy. The 1^st thing that came into my mind was making her a special birthday cake (of course!). Most of us know and understand (kind of) about her fascination with cute, adorable piggy’s (oink oink). So hahahahahaahaa yes you’ve guessed it. I came up with a theme and it’s called ‘The Singing Pigs’.

I was excited doing my first figurine. I looked through the internet for samples and found few. After I made my 1^st piggy the rest was easy. For the cake I baked the Naughty Chocolate cake (coz I find it so deliciously yummy). I made a 2-tier cake (9” and 8”) which I found out the 9” was abit small. Should’ve gone for 10”. Anyway, after I baked the cakes assemble it and place the fondant; it was time to stack both cakes. Ok I just realise I have what you call it – crooked eyes. I thought the cakes looked aligned but I was dead wrong. Whateva!

I booked table for 10 at Monte’s Bangsar in KL. Everyone started to arrive by 7pm, I came slightly later. I gave the cake to the restaurant manager so he can keep it until after dinner.

I was happy to say that the birthday girl didn’t expect a 2-tier ‘Singing Pigs’ theme cake. The look on her face was worth it. Happy happy Birthday! x p/s: to Fai, Haida and Eliza - without the 2nd surprise birthday karaoke, the night would not be complete! Cheers to you guys!

The GIRLS are back in town.. the GIRLS are back in town (pet shop boys

I received a FB (facebook) message from my good friend Yusrina who is staying in London, telling me she’ll be back before Raya. I was really excited coz I haven’t seen her for quite some time. And in her message she specifically told me that she wants me to plan a beach getaway. I’m like...”OH YEAH!!!!” Another close friend of mine came back almost the same time as her. Gabby, my high school mate. All of us + some other friends met up for break fast (buka puasa) at Tony Romas, The Curve. It was really nice being able to catch up on each others lives.

My top ladies... beautiful as always!

Me chomping away... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The next round of catching up session, I took Yusrina for a haircut at Hair Kunst. She was not so keen me pushing her to chop her hair off but at the end no one can say no to moi! LOL! And look at that. Isn’t she gorgeous? Should listen to me more Yusrina! After the hair chopping fiasco Gabby and Ip joined us for a karaoke session. HA HA HA.... what a blast! Let me give you one advice. DO NOT... I repeat... DO NOT try or even attempt singing Chris Brown’s song “With You”. You’ll need an oxygen tank after singing that song! I ain’t joking! So after belting out songs after songs we kinda got hungry and we drove off to Old Klang road to the famous Chilli Crab restaurant – Hai Peng. MMmmmmmm Hmmmmmmmm! Finger linkin’ good!

The next few days I started sorting out Yusrina’s beach getaway. I manage to get Gabby to join us. WICKED!

After celebrating Raya, to be specific 6 days after Raya we girls packed our stuff (for me my scuba gears) and head to Terengganu where we will beach bumming on Redang Island. I booked RedangKalong resort as I’m close with the owner Mr AB Lee and Ms. Sharon Khoo Mei Ling. They have this lovely resort which is clean, well-maintained, great staffs and good food. I love going there. So on Thursday morning at 1am I went to Gabby’s house to pick her up and we drove to Yusrina’s house to pick her up and say hi to her dad (hmmmmmmm). After sorting that part out, off we go. I manage to drive all the way to Kuala Terengganu (5 hours). We stopped by my aunt’s place for some delicious local breakfast ‘Nasi Dagang’. AWESOME!!! By 930am we reach the jetty. Throw our bags on the boat and we zoomed off to redang island.

All and all the trip was fantastic. We girls had so much fun. Manage to hang out with my bros family and friends (they arrive a day before us). We made friends with great and fantastic people (Prem & Loh, Shareena, Madeline, Liam, Kelly & Thomas). The girls did snorkelling and Yusrina manage to do Scuba Disco-very. She did great! Thanks Liam! Oh yeah we stuffed ourselves eating ABC (Air Batu Campur). Taste so gooodddd! Diving was pretty tiring because of the current. So I ended up knackered after each dive. Was happy that the corals doing alrite (coral bleaching).

Pictures i took during my dives. Was happy to capture a white anemone. And some dude manage to scratch out his name on the wreck. Bastard!

Yusrina doing her Scuba Discovery.... PEEWwwwiiittttt!

Uno time with Prem & Loh, AB & Sharon. Mean players I tell ya!!!!

On the 3^rd day it was time to head home. We left the island in the morning. I plan that we stop for lunch at the famous stuffed crab restaurant in Kemaman – Tong Juan Restaurant. The girls were damn happy! We cleaned up the plates. Then later drove to this keropok (fish crackers) place near there and we shop. The ladies bought quite a few, I’m sure they plan to smuggle back packets of keropok into UK. Gabby took over and drove all the way back to Kuala Lumpur where we dump Yusrina. The trip was an unforgettable one. It was so much fun! Glad we did it ladies!

Bro decided to use this opportunity to do a photo shoot for our clients corporate product. Yusrina trying to think if she has forgotten anything.... coz u know is not as if she'll be in Malaysia :P

Our last breakfast before we leave the island... *sob sob*

Tong Juan Restaurant - Keropok shop

After the trip it was Gabby’s turn to get her hair done. I took her to the same place. This hair session it’s an annual activity for me and Gabby. Last year I manage to let the hairstylist gave her long hair a trim and do short bangs. She came out alive! So this time we weren’t sure what the style would be until she sat down on the chair. I look at her and said... “Kim Kardashian!!” The hairstylist totally agrees with me! Hahahhahahahaaa.... and wa-la.... Move aside Kimmy! Check out the new Gabby! Fast forward........ went to her house (to visit her mom) and I got told off by her brothers. “Tiara!!! What did you do?! You’ve created a monster!!!” I’m like “What the.......... “. And here comes Gabby walking, flipping her hair and posing ie. doing Kim Kash moves. Oh crap!

Now the two ladies have flown back to London. As always it was emotional seeing them leave. But there’s always next year. Hope to see you girls soon. Muahs! x

MY JOURNEY AS A CAKE DECORATOR (part 6: 1st Wedding cupcake)

My SIL was kind enough to introduce me to her friend who will be getting married this weekend. This friend wanted to have cupcakes for one of her wedding 'hantaran' and decided to let me do it. I'm kind of afraid it won't be as grand as some wedding cupcakes out there. But still I was keen and excited with this challenge. Her colour theme - White, Purple and Pink... so I'm thinking... focus on one particular colour, that would be Purple. Roses was the 1st thing that came into my mind. Lots and lots of purple roses. BUT the friend has 1 request. She wants heart (s).... hmmmmmmmmmmmm...... SOooo here it is...

roses, roses, roses, roses.......... hearts, hearts

I made cupcake for Ida as well coz today is her 32nd b'day